Front wheel drive fluid or "liquid grease" ?

EuroYanmar · Mar 3, 2005

Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

When I bought my Yanmar AF22 two weeks ago, the dealer suggested to replace the front wheel drive fluid by "liquid grease".
He told me he does this job on every Yanmar tractor he sells.
What is your opinion about this strange idea ?

Jagmandave · Mar 3, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

What the heck is "liquid grease"?

warringt · Mar 3, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

Hi,
From my previous post you can see I am not getting any drive from the front wheels. I just checked the front fluid dip stick on my Yanmar Ke-3 4x4 and it is filled with thick syrup. It is the consistancy of driveway caulk and it is yellow in color. It won't even drip off the dipstick at 32F !

Mark
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normde2001 · Mar 3, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

I'm not familiar with the AF22, or "liquid grease", but if it is a used import from Japan, known in the US as "gray market", I would make sure all the rice paddy mud and water is out of it and use 90w-140w gear oil.

Soundguy · Mar 3, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

I'm sure 'liquid grease' refers to a pourable grease.

Several things fit this description.. For instance.. any 0# grease.. like John Deer cornhead grease(oil). it comes in a tube. certain combines and lawn based equipment use it as a gear lube. Nice and sticky.. though will 'flow' to the bottom of a sump when undisturbed, so that the gears can pick it back up when they start up again.. like an oil bath. Many tractor owners use this stuff to put in steering boxes that have leaky seals.. it prety much solves the leak problem.. yet still lubes good.

There are also marine lower end lubes similar to cv axle lube.. technically an oil.. but it looks like grease... nice and thick.. like cold molasses. There are also 200w and 300w marine 'use' oils.. for gearing I would guess... Also.. model A's used some pretty thick gear lube.

Soundguy

EuroYanmar · Mar 7, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

Soundguy,

Thank you for all these explanations. I spoke on the phone with my dealer a couple of days ago. He explained me that using "liquid grease" in the front wheel drive is safer in case of leaky seals. If a seal begin to leak, standard oil will flow out very fast and unless you notice quickly the problem, the internal mechanics will be damaged. According to him, liquid grease can be used as a good substitude for factory oil.

Phil

Jagmandave · Mar 7, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

Does this stuff work ok in the cold? Or does it become like concrete in the gears when it's 10* outside?

EuroYanmar · Mar 7, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

Norm,

Thank you for your advice. AF22 is a gray market tractor in Europe too (import from Japan). When I bought it, front wheel drive was without any leaky seal and full with ordinary factory oil without mud and water in it. This is why I was surprised when the dealer suggested to replace it by "liquid grease". (see my last post where I explain why he his used to do this).
According him it is safer for the future as this grease will never go through a deficient seal.
I have my personal opinion too : this man sells an average number of 10 tractors a day so it is a faster way than to replace leaky seals on every tractor !

Phil

EuroYanmar · Mar 7, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

If 10* is 10 F it makes somethig like minus 11°celsius. In Normandy where I bought this tractor temperature is usually minus 15 °celsius in winter. A last but important point is to take under consideration : In France most of the tractors work in spring and in summer as we do not have as many snow as in north USA. So, maybe for spring and summer use this grease is OK; in winter, I don't know ! Anyway I will ask exactly its specifications (thermic and others) and brand as soon as possible.

Phil

Soundguy · Mar 7, 2005

Re: Front wheel drive fluid or \"liquid grease\" ?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Does this stuff work ok in the cold? Or does it become like concrete in the gears when it's 10* outside )</font>

Well.. JD makes the cornhead lube.. and it's used mostly in the northern states.. so.. I'd guess it works ok in the cold.

In ford steering boxes, I know many people that use grease in the box.. in weather where water will freeze.. with no problems.

And remember.. this stuff is lighter than a standard grease ( #2 or #4 ).. so wheel bearing suse grease.. etc. ..

Soundguy